Juliette Stone and Charlotte Ausfahl
Named Athletes of the Month for October
By Mitch Silver
The top two singles players on Head Coach Tony Campbell’s Rye High Girls’ Tennis team joined up to play doubles in the deciding match of the regular season against Harrison. Coach Campbell explained what happened next.
“Juliette Stone and Charlotte Ausfahl played first and second singles on the team this season and have both played varsity tennis all four years. Their freshmen year they were key contributors to our undefeated season and team Section title. They hadn’t played as a competitive doubles team together until the last match of the season where their win helped steal the League title from Harrison.
“I nominated Juliette and Charlotte for co-athletes of the month because they accomplished something that Rye tennis players haven’t done since 2007, which is to win the Section 1 Doubles title. They ran the table, winning five straight matches while only losing one set. They then went on to the State Tournament where they placed fifth in the state with a really successful 4-1 record in the tournament.
“Ausfahl and Stone won their first two matches against teams from Dix Hills and Syracuse before losing to Byram Hills in the quarterfinals. They then defeated a young pair from the Schenectady area, as well as the No. 2 seeds from Roslyn, coming back from a set down to win, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
“What was most impressive was watching these two humble, kind, hard-working captains and athletes come together as true doubles partners — working together, supporting one another, and figuring out how, in some cases, to defeat more skilled tennis players with experience, collaboration, confidence. and strategy. They devised their approach to doubles around one another’s shots and played, in the biggest moments, the best tennis I’ve ever seen from either of them. It’s been really extraordinary to be part of their post-season run.”
Juliette said, “Charlotte is really good at the net.” And Charlotte said, “Juliette has a powerful serve, and she can place it where she wants to. So, we kind of knew where the returns were coming.”
The two honorees thanked their varsity coach for helping them improve their game. “He’s a calm presence during the match, and he gives us helpful tips during practice.”
Both girls also wanted to acknowledge Rye Racquet Club pro Go Inagawa. Juliette said, “Go worked with us the whole last month of the season. He taught us the positioning the Australians came up with, with both of us on the same half of the court. It surprised and confused our opponents.”
In the classroom, the two seniors both mentioned foreign language as their favorite courses. Juliette grew up in Hong Kong before coming to Rye in seventh grade. “I’ve been taking Mandarin lessons for years, and Mrs. Huang is a great teacher. I’m a member of the Mandarin Club, and I also speak by Zoom every week with my teacher back in Hong Kong.”
Charlotte was just as effusive about her Spanish teacher, Maria Murphy — known as Profe Murphy. “I’m the President of the Spanish Club, and Profe Murphy has been terrific.”
The Rye Lions Club takes into account a student’s community service commitment when making their monthly awards selections. “I’m part of the read-aloud program at Don Bosco in Port Chester, though it was suspended during the Covid crisis,” Charlotte said. Juliette chipped in, “And I’ve worked at the Rye Nature Center, feeding the chinchillas and working as an all-around groundskeeper.”
Neither student-athlete knows which college she is headed to next fall, but both plan on playing club tennis.
Winning the October award qualifies Charlotte and Juliette for the year-end Athlete of the Year Award, voted on by the entire Rye student body.
